The present invention is a two frame assembly sofa bed recliner having a simple interlock between the seat frame assembly and the back frame assembly. The sofa bed recliner has removable arm rests. In another embodiment the arm rests or side arms and the back frame are connected by guide means for guiding the recliner from a fully upright position to a fully reclined position and vice verse. The recliner may be made of either wood or metal.
The present invention is a unique combination of many elements including some known in the art to provide an inexpensive to produce, easy to use, space saving, sturdy light weight, two frame assembly sofa bed recliner preferably made of wood or metal with an improved structure and case of conversion and reconversion over the prior art.
In converting from a recliner to a sofa bed it is preferable to have the arm rests disengaged. To convert from recliner to a sofa bed the engaged back frame assembly and seat frame assembly are moved upward from the recliner position. The back frame assembly allowing the seat frame assembly once horizontal on the floor is unlinked from the seat from assembly allowing the seat from assembly to be lowered to a horizontal position and locked against jackknifing. The structure has the advantage of being able to simply interact to transform from recliner to sofa bed.
The arm rests are engagable to the back frame assembly and seat frame assembly once the sofa bed recliner is in recliner position.
The seat frame assembly and back frame assembly are pivotally linked free of any main frame and when in horizontal position support themselves elevated from the floor.
A simple system is provided for reconverting the sofa bed to a recliner position. The seat frame assembly is pulled backward disengaging it from its locked position, then lifted to a substantially vertical position. The seat frame assembly and back frame assembly are then interlockable for simultaneous rotation to a recliner position.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the length and width of the back frame assembly and the seat frame assembly are such that, when opened into a sofa bed horizontal position, the bed portion is like a full double bed or larger.
The present invention is particularly adapted for use with a futon. Futons have become popular, offering the advantage of convertible structure adaptable for both sitting and sleeping. The present invention acts as a support structure for a futon, having the combined advantage of being a sturdy sofa bed and recliner.
The present invention has the advantage of the space saving of a futon supported on a structure, which also saves space. The futon serving as a recliner cushion and as a mattress. The simplicity of the structure is economical without sacrificing utility. As a recliner there is no separate main frame, as a sofa bed the seat frame assembly and back frame assembly are properly supported without special supporting parts.
The elements are simplified over the prior art, combined and improved to provide a simple to construction, inexpensive to produce, easy to use two frame assembly sofa bed recliner.
The present invention also is a simple alternative for U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,611. The sofa bed recliner provides an inexpensive simple means for the seat frame assembly and back frame assembly to interengage to easily convert and reconvert to a sofa bed position and to a recliner position. Lifting of the seat frame assembly to a substantially vertical position enables easy interengaging of the seat frame assembly and back frame assembly are rotated upward again from the recliner position, then the seat frame assembly is disengaged from the back frame assembly and moved downward.
The structural simplicity is enabled by a slot in the seat frame assembly and the configuration of the bases of the seat frame assembly and back frame assembly and the slot in the seat frame assembly which enables locking in both recliner and sofa bed positions.
The present invention also provides embodiment in which the armrests or side arms have grooves or slots therein for by pins extending from upper and lower portions of the back frame. To guide means provide a mechanism for shifting the position of the recliner from an upright vertical position to a fully reclined position and vice verse. Securing means are further provided to prevent the recliner from jackknifing up from its fully reclined position when some places pressure or weight on it. Further a counter absorbing element is provided on each side of the recliner and is tightly affixed therein to release pressure or stress on the grooves or slots during the shifting of the recliner from one position to another.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,611 to Fireman, et.al, applicant of the present invention and co-inventor of this cited patent, discloses a "kicker" or detent. However, this patent does not teach counter absorbing elements nor address the problem of relieving stress on the slots by uniformly distributing the stress or pressure along a surface of the recliner's frame as does the present invention. Further, the present invention provides securing means to prevent the aforementioned jackknifing by the recliner.